Manali-Leh highway blocked while tourists enjoy unexpected snowfall

Rohtang (Himachal), June 8 (ANI): Even as the Manali-Leh highway that connects Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh region of Kashmir is blocked due to unexpected snowfall, the tourists however are having a great fun here.

The snowfall upto two feet in the region has delayed reopening of 475-kilometre Manali-Leh road, a strategically important road for Indian Army, that was cleared by Border Roads Organisation a day earlier on Monday.

"Crossing the two passes, we had to go to Kaja, but there is too much rain and snowfall that we cannot go beyond Rohtang. We are planning to go back to Manali, but it's a worth experience, we feel that we are in heaven," said Rajnish, a Gujrati tourist.

However, the snowfall has cheered up tourists present in Manali, particularly those from the plains where the mercury hovers around 40-plus degrees Celsius during this time of the year.

"I am feeling very happy to experience snow here. Usually, snow falls in December or October. I am seeing snowfall in the month of June for the first time and feeling very happy," said Jitender, a tourist.

Fresh snowfall has also lowered the temperature in other region of Himachal Pradesh.

Rohtang Pass,13,050 feet above sea-level, is the famous tourist spot of Manali. (ANI)